Striking Out

Barrie McMahon

Kalgoorlie. A town where gold has lured dreamers and risk takers from all parts of the globe. A place of fortune, a place of ruin.

In his latest novel Barrie McMahon follows three young friends who are striking out from Perth to try their luck in the goldfields of Western Australia. This well-researched yarn pays tribute to the unique character of Kalgoorlie and its people during the late 1940s.

About the Author

Barrie McMahon had a lifelong interest in Australian history, communication and folklore. He also loved writing. When he retired as a professional educator, he turned to something he had always wanted to do: become a professional storyteller.

Striking Out is a sequel to his first novel Copyboy, set in 1946 Perth and published in 2015. He had always been fascinated by the culture of Kalgoorlie and decided that his three main Copyboy characters would move there for different reasons in 1948. This would give him the excuse to spend time in the Goldfields and gather the stories of people who remembered what it was like there in those days.

Unfortunately Barrie was not able to finish the book, losing his battle with cancer in 2017. His wife Jan and son Peter worked together to fulfil his wishes.